


Reconstruction

by Phoenix_Commander



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Family, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Medicinal Drug Use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-27 00:17:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20751158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenix_Commander/pseuds/Phoenix_Commander
Summary: Before they had even met, four friends found their calling when the world was dark. Now, the dust has settled and the sun shines bright. The rebuilding has long been underway, but there is still much to do. Follow them as they help rebuild and heal. Not just the land they call home, but themselves as well. (Cheryl/mOC, Marley/fOC)





	Reconstruction

Marley watched as the sky darkened and a chill wind blew through the branches of Eterna Forest. Moments ago the sky had been clear, the cloudless blue sky dominated by the sun. But now everything had been plunged into a dark twilight. The young trainer could hear distant cawing as a flock of starley took to the sky, and began flying in her direction as fast as their wings could carry them. 

“Gaah! What is happening?!” She cried as the flock passed by her, missing her by inches, as she threw herself to the forest floor curling to protect herself. Her arcanine, Flame, leapt to her side lashing out at the nearest wild pokémon as fast as he could. Shadow, her weaville, and Flight, her ninjask, left their pokeballs of their own accord to attack the flock of starling pokémon as they continued circling. Shadow took the lead by hurling large shards of ice, which broke apart as they struck the flock of starley, knocking a few of them out of the air. Flame lunged and bit at the attacking pokémon as they dove around them, scratching at his thick fur. His fangs crackled with electricity as he retaliated, only managing to get one or two between his jaws, tossing their unconscious forms to the ground at his feet. Flight zipped through the air, catching the ones who avoided Flame and Shadow, with blindingly quick slashes of his sharp limbs.

The fighting had only just started. The trees warped inward at unnatural angles and the cries of countless other pokémon could be heard in a distant clearing. Marley hopped onto Flame’s back as the flock finally dispersed, the trainer and her friends reached the clearing quickly. It was a warzone, wormadam lay all about the clearing cut and bruised by a nearby staravia, it’s eyes filled with a mixture of fear, pain, and confusion at the sudden changes to its territory. Beneath them, two happiny were barely staying conscious as they were tied down in thick knots of grass and heavily bruised by large seeds that could only have come from the wormadam. Clear evidence that the grass-type pokémon were just as troubled as the staravia.

"Why… why is everyone hurting each other?" The trees bent even further as her team entered the scene and attacked. Shadow leapt onto a tree before bounding off of it to catch the staravia with a blow from his ice coated claws. Flight cut the happiny free of the grass with his limbs, hitting them in the process but not seeming to care. Flame almost tossed Marley from his back, forcing her to leap off of him instead as he started to bath himself in fire before going into a lunging tackle at the wormadams. "Shadow...Flight...Flame…” Marley froze unable to understand why her friends were acting this way. Tears of confusion and fear started to wind their way down her cheeks. “Why are you attacking…?"

"Why!?" The question was drowned out by the pained cries of the pokémon. The world around the frightened Pokémon trainer continued twisting and warping, the ground was no longer flat but severely sloped. Eventually it was too much and reality snapped with an ear splitting crash. Marley woke from her nightmarish memory just as the last vestiges of light from a lightning strike faded. “Still don’t know how we made it out of that.” She murmured before letting herself drift back to a fitful sleep.

* * *

“Hhmm...one pecha berry and one oran berry. That should do for a mild antidote without any unwanted side effects.” Cheryl mused as she looked over the berries on the table before her in the small workshop attached to her cabin. “What do you think, Marley?” She asked, looking over her shoulder at her friend. 

“Huh? Oh...Uh...yeah that should be enough.” The raven haired pokémon trainer said distractedly. She was still shaken about her nightmare and coming to terms with something else. Her fitful sleep came with a dream of its own. it was a comforting dream, but definitely different enough to make Marley lose herself in the monotony of learning herbology.

Cheryl arched an eyebrow as she turned to look at her unofficial apprentice. At nineteen Cheryl was the youngest certified healer in the area around Mount Coronet and Eterna Forest. She had taken Marley under her wing after the Distortion Event a little over a year ago after learning she had wanted to help heal people and pokémon who had been hurt. The young trainer was only sixteen, an age where she was just coming into her own, so that was only one possible weight the girl carried. The green haired healer knew there had to be something else on her friend’s mind. “Repeat it back to me.”

“Huh? Repeat what?” Marley asked, blinking confusedly.

“The recipe for a healing antidote. What is it?” She asked while doing her best to not get annoyed, knowing her friend was distracted, but not why.

“I...uh.”

“One pecha and one oran berry. What’s on your mind, Marley? You’re not normally this distracted.” Cheryl asked, the question echoing in her dark green eyes.

“I...I had that dream again last night.” Marley said, toying absently with a berry on the workshop table.

Cheryl’s eyes closed a little as she tapped a finger to her lips in thought. “I had hoped we’d seen the last of those nightmares. Do you want anything for tonight? I know they’re not pleasant.”

“No, no...that’s not entirely why I’m...a bit off.” She said, shaking her head as she waved off the offer.

“Then what’s eating you? I can’t help you if I don’t know.” The healer asked, settling her hands deep into the hidden pockets of her brown and green dress as she leaned against the table.

_What would she think of me if I told her the truth? Could she look at me the same? Would she still be willing to teach me?_ _Even if it is just awkward, I don't want that. _Marley thought as she looked at her teacher. "I…" Cheryl could see where this was going. A year with the girl was enough to make it clear what she would say and do next. "Thank you!" It came out a bit high and nervous, which made sense considering she ran for the door immediately, arcanine's footsteps following quickly after.

Marley’s weaville remained behind though to shrug. “What do you think is troubling her, huh, Shadow?” Cheryl asked, as she picked up an oran berry and tossed it to Marley’s pokémon.

The sharp claw pokémon delicately caught the berry to snack on as he thought over the question. The weaville knew only gestures could really communicate his thoughts so, his berry halfway finished and colorful juices on his claws he had an idea. Putting a messy claw to the floor, he drew as best he could two stick figures holding hands before he ran out of juice to draw with.

It took a few moments for the meaning of what her berry eating friend had drawn to sink in. “What...Oohh...So that’s what’s on her mind.” Cheryl mused, knowing that it had to happen eventually. “Sometimes I get like that myself still. Makes me wonder if I need to keep helping people or settle down. Always food for thought, eh, Shadow?” At the pokémon’s slight nod she sighed with a shake of her head before turning back to the berries. There was still work she needed to do for the day, still people who would need her help. “When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here to listen Marley. Wouldn’t be a good teacher if I didn’t do at least that much.”

* * *

A pokémon trainer dressed in the red and black uniform of the rangers was making her way quickly through the forest, her team spread out around her. An absol ahead of her leading the way, her pelipper winging its way ponderously through the trees, and a rosalia darted around a few feet to her left. “I need to find them quickly, we’re not suited for dealing with a rockslide. Dang it, where is their blasted cabin! He doesn’t have-“ Distant shouting cut into the Ranger’s thoughts like a knife. “That sounds like Marley, I’ve got to be on the right track then.” Whistling sharply between her fingers she darted off toward the voice. Her three teammates followed fast on her heels.

The closer the brunette got, the clearer the tangent on the winds was. "-girls, but not you. No, that still sounds rude." The ranger guessed it was the quiet medic she had encountered a couple months back. The girl’s rant paused as she sighed before continuing. "I think I'm attracted to girls." 

_ Well that is interesting. _ The young woman couldn't hide her curiosity, but there were more pressing matters than a stressed out teenager. Specifically an injured reconstruction worker on one of the dig teams. 

Considering the storm the previous night had loosened the earth, it wasn't surprising that the shift in weight caused by the tunneling of a rhydon would start a landslide. The worker’s trio of pokémon had already started digging to get him out of the rubble when she’d left to get help. It may only have been an injured leg, and she had heard the falling debris immediately, but it was still more important than an emotional crisis.

"Hmmm, that might just be the way to go about it. What do you think, Flame?" Especially if it sounded like her problem was being resolved. The rumbling assent of an arcanine definitely indicated as much.

“Hey! You’re Marley, right?!” The Ranger asked quickly, breaking into the small clearing Marley and her arcanine were in.

“Y-Yes I am. Ranger Shannon, right?” The medic asked setting aside her thoughts for the moment and forcing down her nervous blush. Pokémon rangers didn’t normally go looking for a healer just to talk.

“Rockslide...near Floaroma, one of the reconstruction workers got caught in it! Dug too close to the surface carving a new tunnel to the old power plant. The rain last night loosened up the ground too much to be safe, must’ve gotten too sure of himself and his team.” Shannon said, panting slightly as she pointed back in the direction she had come.

Marley took out one her poké balls and tossed it, “Come on out, Flight!” A flash of light coelesed into her ninjask, who hovered around her head curious as to why he had been woken from a nap. “Flight, I’m going with this ranger here to help a reconstruction worker. I’ll be going to a rockslide site. Go get Cheryl and the others and meet us there, you’ll know the spot.” Flight rolled twice in acknowledgement before zipping off through the trees as fast as his wings would take him. “Let's get moving, Ranger.” The black and white garbed medic said, hopping onto Flame’s back and heading off in the direction Shannon had pointed. 

It did not take the healer and ranger long to reach the site of the rockslide. The trainer was dressed in the reconstruction union’s colors, clay brown, white, red, and tan. The badge of the Reconstructor Union, a pair of laurels encircling a pick and shovel, visible on the shoulder of his brown and red blazer. He was doing his best to remain conscious as a sandslash and rhydon dug quickly at the rubble to free their trainer’s leg. A silver and blue furred ninetails shielded his head and chest from the raining dust and smaller debris as the pair of pokémon worked. Her ears perked up at the sound of the new arrivals, at the same time her tails wreathed themselves in purple flames, preparing to defend her team should the newcomers be a threat. A small stone tapped against the side of her head stealing her attention, it had been thrown by the sandslash. The spine covered pokémon shook its head, as if silently telling her to calm down as the healer and ranger approached. 

“We’re here to help, just hang on and we’ll get you out of there.” Marley said, reassuringly placing a hand on the man’s shoulder. She could see the pain in his amber and black-flecked eyes, even under the dust that coated the half-moon glasses on his face.

“D-Didn’t realize how c-close we were t-to the surface. S-Should’ve been paying more attention.” He grimaced as he carefully gripped the fur of the silver and blue pokémon that crouched over him.

“Everyone makes a mistake. What’s your name, and how long have you been with the union?” The healer asked, trying to distract him while his pokémon worked, even as she motioned for Flame to start digging as well.

“Darek. And I was one of the first in the union. I started the day after the Distortion Event.” The trainer replied with a wince as the weight shifted onto his leg a little. “T-Technically I’ve been doing things like this for the last four years, but who’s counting?”

As they talked a loud droning sound echoed off the cliff face. Announcing Flight’s arrival with Cheryl and the other pokémon. The healer was followed closely by her chansey, Lum, and her mothim, Mago, and Marley’s Shadow. The green eyed healer started her questions almost immediately, “Can you feel everything, even if it’s painful?”

“Y-Yes. And before you ask, yes I can move my toes. Though they’re facing in a way they shouldn’t. Pretty sure my leg is twisted at the knee.” Darek growled out through gritted teeth.

“Marley grab an arm. Ranger Shannon, correct?” At the pokémon ranger’s nod Cheryl continued, “Grab hold of him, soon as we get a little more weight off his leg the two of you are dragging him out of there.”

“What about his leg? If it is really broken like that-“ Marley started, only for Cheryl to cut her off.

“Then we’ll have to reset it. But leave that to me.” The healer was usually upbeat and friendly but when she was working Cheryl’s demeanor flipped to serious and borderline cold. “What’s your name?” She asked the trainer, kneeling down next to him. Her voice softer than it had been when she’d given her orders.

“D-Darek.” Throughout the ordeal he had not once taken his eyes off of his ninetails’ fur. Using the sight of her to help keep him calm. He finally did take his eyes off of her, as the tone in Cheryl’s voice compelled him to, that to focus on her would mean he’d be fine. 

Just as he looked at her, Cheryl reached around him and jabbed an iapapa berry juice syringe into his arm. The effect was almost instantaneous as his mind fogged over and the pain started leaving him. “You’re going to be alright, Darek. We’ve got you, you’ll be back up in an hour or so.” She said softly, giving him her most reassuring smile as his consciousness left him.

A few minutes later and Darek’s sandslash and rhydon, with the help of Marley’s Flame had the trainer’s leg free of the rubble and carried him over to a small patch of grass. Shannon sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the state of Darek’s leg. She didn’t have to roll up his pant leg to see It had twisted in the rubble at the knee just as he’d suspected. “Swift...that’s gotta hurt. Whatever you gave him, think it’ll keep him out long enough to set it?” She asked as the healer started pulling out bandages and a splint.

“Iapapa juice, and no it won’t keep him under. As soon as I twist it back into place he’ll likely wake up from the pain alone. Good news is that it doesn’t seem to be a crushing fracture likely most of the damage will be around his knee where his leg twisted. Crushing fractures can have far worse complications.” Cheryl replied, not looking up from her medical kit.

“When do you want to start?” Marley asked, mentally ticking off a list of the supplies they had on hand in case she needed to run back to the cabin.

“I want to get his leg set now. It’ll make getting him back to the cabin a lot easier.” She said, placing the items she needed next her patient and kneeling by his leg.

“I’ll hold his arms, Marley hold his free leg. Don’t need him kicking us when Cheryl twists that leg back into place.” Cheryl worked quickly as the Ranger spoke, and prepared for the incoming scream. 

After rolling up his pant leg Cheryl placed a hand on his knee to keep it in place. "Ok, now, three...two...one." She placed her other hand just above his ankle. With a single movement she pulled hard against his leg, twisting it as she did so. With a nauseating crack she could feel the bones of his lower leg pop back into place at the knee. Darek’s amber eyes shot open wide in a silent scream of agony as he thrashed once, before Shannon forced him back down.

“Fire blast, he’s stronger than he looks! That can’t just be the adrenaline!” The ranger said looking from healer to apprentice.

“It’s likely that it’s not just the adrenaline. Carving tunnels and clearing passes is hard work, even with a team of pokémon.” Marley said, she and Cheryl had tended to a few reconstruction workers over the last year. Every last one, man and woman, had been well built. “But adrenaline is also a very strong drug in its own right, so who knows?” 

"I'm sorry I couldn’t give anything stronger, Darek, but I am impressed. Usually when I do that the screaming is a lot louder. Marley, could you apply a sitrus berry salve to his leg please?” Cheryl asked, taking Darek’s hand in her own and letting him squeeze it as the adrenaline from the pain faded. _ You could’ve tossed Shannon off of you if you’d felt the need. You’re not even squeezing my hand as hard as you should be right now. Guess you’re still more aware of what’s going on than I thought. _

“Yeah, I can manage that.” The apprentice acted fast, applying the orange paste to a clean bandage before wrapping it firmly around the leg, finished with the task she then started wrapping Darek’s limb in the splint with thicker cloth before tying it off even tighter with a bit of cord.

"Good work, both of you. Now for the hard part, getting you somewhere to rest comfortably, Reconstructor Darek." The words were spoken clearly, even if Cheryl meant them to be mumbled. 

All the pokémon seemed to understand this as the rhydon crouched down and carefully picked up his trainer. The sandslash moved ahead of the drill pokémon testing the ground to make sure it wouldn’t lose its footing and drop their friend. They had been working to clear the worst of the rubble and no doubt intended to be back to clear the rest of it later after Darek was settled. Darek’s ninetails trod alongside the rhydon, occasionally nuzzling her trainer’s hand to let him know she was there. Flight zipped through the air ahead of them quickly in order to guide the way back to the cabin. Shannon, Marley, and Cheryl kept pace with the slower rhydon with their other pokémon fanned out around them in case they disturbed a wild group. 

Cheryl glanced at the pain clouded eyes of Darek’s barely conscious form and contemplated using another round of iapapa berry juice to knock him back out, but was afraid of what that might do. Instead she grabbed a milder oran berry syringe, while the sitrus bandage would work slowly to keep the pain at bay over a long period an oran injection would be faster and at least make the pain tolerable. But before she could inject him, his hand gently clasped around her wrist, “I don’t need another one. Besides as much as it does hurt, it helps me know I’m not dreaming. Who’d have thought I’d be found by a green haired angel?” Darek chuckled, as his hand slipped from her wrist and he slipped further into a stupor. 

_ Was that the medicine talking or…? _ Cheryl almost tripped as she thought about what had just happened, only for her chansey, Lum, to catch her. The Pokémon looked at her questioningly. “I’m fine, Lum, just confused about something. It’s been a strange day hasn’t it?” Lum nodded in agreement as they continued walking.

* * *

Shannon leaned back against a tree at the edge of Cheryl's property line. She had a good view of the cozy home, the cabin could comfortably house four people, with room to care for a small number of patients. The healer’s workshop and garden were on the other side of the building, out of sight, but the smells of various berries was unmistakable in the wind.

None of that was what she was focused on though. Her focus instead was on the ravenette nearby idly scuffing her boots in the dirt while fighting down a blush as her weaville gave her a shove in her direction. "So, how...I mean… S-Shadow!” Marley exclaimed a little surprised at her pokémon’s action. “Heh… So, Shannon...um...how have you been? A-Also, the worker, Darek, will be alright. His leg was the only serious injury."

Shannon raised an eyebrow, able to spot the poor attempt at changing the subject for what it was. She decided to go along with it, not wanting to make the apprentice healer too uncomfortable just for the sake of wanting to know what was on her mind. "I'm glad he’ll be ok. I’ve been well, no true complaints. What about you, how have you been? Last I saw of you and Cheryl was at Lake Verity when the reconstruction workers finally had the time to properly care for the bombed lakefront."

The very apparent blush lightened a bit as Marley relaxed to the new topic. "We had started to run low on supplies, so we came back three months ago to restock Cheryl's berry garden. I've been learning about different mixtures since then. I never would have guessed how many berries actually were considered addictive by the league. No wonder only simple berries like oran and lum are easy to find."

Shannon began to nod along, recalling her own education as a ranger. They were taught what berries were safe for humans, but she was beginning to realize it was nowhere near that simple. Seeing the shy girl so open now that the dam was broken, Shannon felt fine interrupting when Marley finally stopped to breathe. "So, what was it you wanted to ask me that required Cheryl not overhear?"

It was adorable how quickly the younger girl's blush returned. "How… um that is, how much did you hear when you got to the clearing." 

Without even thinking, Shannon kicked off the tree a small smile curling her lips. "Enough to ask if you’d want to go on a picnic sometime this week." The shocked look on the healer's face slowly became mirrored by her own as the ranger realized what she just said. _ And there goes my mouth again. Fire blast it, maybe she'll accept. _

"Wha- Eep!" Were the only sounds Marley managed to blurt out as Shadow again gave her a push with his claws. "S-Stop that, Shadow! I, um, that is yes. Yes thank you, I would like that. B-Besides it’s not like I’m going anywhere, not with Reconstructor Darek’s leg the way it is.”

“O-Ok, we can figure out the details later.” The pokémon ranger said, her smile growing a little. It was only then she noticed a quick flash of silver and blue out of the corner of her eye as Darek’s ninetails ran through the clearing back toward the rockslide site. “Huh, I guess he’s awake. Think the reconstructor sent her off to call his team back?”

“Could be, actually... Yeah, the front door is still open.” Marley said, looking toward the front porch. “Cheryl will probably be coaxing him out for a bit of fresh air.” As if in answer to the apprentice’s words, her ivy haired teacher stepped out onto the porch supporting the injured worker and lowered him into a chair.

“Might as well go get properly introduced then. Shouldn’t take his pokémon too long to get back.” Shannon suggested, her smile growing to a grin as she took a step toward the cabin.

“W-Well if you’ll be staying around here then, then yeah that would be a good idea.” The ebony garbed trainer agreed, returning the smile with a small one of her own as she followed the ranger.

* * *

_Ugh...my head is killing me...wait where am I? _ Darek wondered as he finally regained consciousness in a dimly lit room. The last thing he remembered clearly was a pair of deep green eyes and a beautiful face framed by green locks. He felt a light weight on his chest as he tried to sit up, a silvery-blue paw pressed down on him trying to keep him still. “Hey there, Morgan, been here the whole time?” The ninetails narrowed her eyes slightly, before running her tongue across his cheek and pressing down on him again. 

“I was just coming to check in on you.” A voice said from the doorway, grabbing both Morgan and Darek’s attention. “Your ninetails has not wanted to leave the room since we brought you here, she’s been by the bedside the whole time. I tried to get her to at least move around and get some food with our other pokémon, but she wouldn’t budge. How are you feeling, Reconstructor Darek?” 

“Like I had part of a cliff fall on me.” The reconstruction worker replied with a smirk, even as he winced running a hand along his injured leg. “I-I don’t think I got your name, Ms?”

“Cheryl, I’m a healer. And you couldn’t have picked a better area to have an accident. My apprentice, Marley, is almost as skilled as I am, and I was certified by the mother of Eterna City’s gym leader.” Cheryl replied with a small hint of pride in her voice. “You’ll be up and able to move unaided in a day or so. Though I’m not letting you get back to work for at least a week, need to let that sitrus paste help your leg first.”

“Heh, orders are orders.” Darek said, taking Morgan’s paw off of his chest and sitting up. “Morgan, can you go and get Lancelot and Galahad? I know they’re back at the rockslide site. Those two will have made enough space already to keep it from being a problem. We can finish clearing it up tomorrow.” Without a sound the fox Pokémon padded lightly from the room, before bounding out of the cabin and running off to retrieve her trainer’s other pokémon.

“I’ve never seen a ninetails like her. Only ever pictures of one with her fur color, you’ve got a beautiful partner, Darek.” Cheryl said catching one last glimpse of Morgan as she passed by the line window in the small room.

“We’ve been together for a long time. I wouldn't have made it through the Distortion Event without Morgan, or Galahad and Lancelot for that matter.” Darek said giving her an appreciative smile.

“The same to be said about my pokémon as well.” Cheryl nodded beaming as she held out her hand, “Now what do you say we get you out of this room and outside? A breath of fresh air will do you some good.”

“Sounds like a fine idea.” The injured worker said, letting her throw one of his arms over her shoulder. “Say...um...did I say anything while I was out cold?” Darek asked, doing his best to not lean too much on Cheryl as she helped him stand and hobble to the front porch of the cabin.

“N-No, why?” The healer asked hoping he didn’t notice the slight blush that started to burn on her cheeks, as she carefully lowered him into a chair looking out over the meadow in front of her small home. Barely noticing Marley and Shannon talking at the edge of the clearing, or as Lum adjusted a stool to elevate Darek’s leg. “Was there something I should have been looking out for?”

“No, no. Nothing like that, it’s just I don’t really have a filter if I’ve been drinking or heavily medicated.” Darek replied, subconsciously running a hand through his short kept slate-grey hair, embarrassed at the idea of having made a fool of himself. “Made one too many bad impressions because of it.”

“Ah, I see.” Cheryl said, pulling up a chair of her own. “You mentioned Galahad and Lancelot, your sandslash and rhydon, right?”

“Yeah, Lancelot is my sandslash and Galahad is my rhydon. The heavy lifters of our little family.” The reconstruction worker answered, giving her a small nod. “They’re more than competent in their work. Galahad handles the main digging and clearing of stone while Lancelot clears the lighter sand, clay, and hard packed soil.”

“And Morgan, where does she fit in?” The green-eyed woman asked, curious as to the role a fire-type pokémon could play in a team meant for digging tunnels and clearing rubble.

“You know, that was the same question the union heads asked when I joined up.” The short, yet amused laugh that accompanied Darek’s answer echoed off the porch awning. “Morgan is our foreman. She’s always making sure we’re rested enough for a job and not pushing too hard. She’s even triggered the returns on Galahad and Lancelot’s poké balls a few times when they didn’t want to take a break.”

“I think I understand. Lum, my chansey, here has been with me since my days as a treasure hunter before I decided to become a healer.” Cheryl said, gesturing to Lum as she pulled a large blade of grass from a pocket within her dress, along with a poké ball. With one hand she tossed the poké ball, and with the other, blew into the grass blade filling the porch with a bright flash of light and a piercing buzzing noise. As the light quickly faded into the form of a plant-cloak wormadam, a fluttering of wings announced the arrival of a mothim. “And these other friends of mine are Rwast, my wormadam, and Mago, my mothim. They joined me near the end of days as treasure hunter, all three of them kept me out of trouble too.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet the three of you.” Darek said giving the three pokémon a warm smile, as he pulled a whistle from a pocket of his blazer. “You may want to cover your ears. Those three should be close enough to hear this and pick up the pace a little. At the very least Morgan will hear this and move Galahad and Lancelot along quicker.” He blew two short blasts into the whistle and then one long blast. A few moments later a flash of silver and blue darted out of the woods around the meadow, followed by the slower forms of Lancelot and Galahad. At the same moment Cheryl and Darek could see Marley and Shannon walking back toward the cabin.

Seeing the approaching crowd, Cheryl let out a light chuckle as she noticed something hanging from Morgan’s mouth. “Hhmm, looks like Morgan has your pack in her mouth, Reconstructor Darek.”

“Looks that way, Galahad and Lancelot must’ve found it and put it to the side.” A teasing smirk curled the man's face as he relaxed further into his chair. “And, just Darek, is fine, Healer Cheryl.”

The healer’s chuckle grew into a laugh, as she replied, “Well, if that's the way you want to go about it, Cheryl will do.”

The pair sat in silence after that, enjoying the breeze that had started to blow, waiting for the other two trainers to reach the porch and take a seat on a makeshift bench. Once she was comfortable, Shannon turned towards the only injured one of the group. “So how is the leg, Reconstructor?”

“Aching, but I’ll manage. Ranger...?” Darek trailed, still smiling after the good natured banter.

“Shannon,” She replied, as she pulled three poké balls from her belt and began to juggle them a little before activating them. The three beams of light coalesced into her pelipper, rosalia, and her absol. “And for proper introductions, this is my team, Per, Lia, and Sol.”

“Marley.” Cheryl’s apprentice said, before taking out a poké ball and tossing it. The light gathered into the form of her ninjask. “... And I guess you’ve already met Flame, my arcanaine. This is Flight and this is Shadow.” She said gesturing to her weaville. 

“I’m Darek. It’s nice to properly meet you all.” He said, sitting up a little straighter as his pokémon walked up to the porch and gestured to each of them, as Morgan set the pack by his chair. “Let me introduce you to Morgan, Galahad, and Lancelot. The best reconstruction team I could ask for.”

“It's nice to meet you three.” Cheryl said, smiling at Darek’s team as Shannon and Marley nodded in agreement. It was at that moment the xtranciever in Darek’s pack began to chime.

“I should probably answer that. I missed my check-in with my union contact, that could be him now.” The reconstruction worker said, reaching for his pack and pulling the device from a pocket, after checking the contact he accepted the incoming call.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: Archer - Welcome to an ok idea born from a bad idea and boredom, stretched out into a story. Translation, just another slice of life pokemon fanfic.
> 
> Commander - He dragged me into working on Log, I dragged him into working on this. I have no regrets. Only big thing to know with this story is that we are following the manga rather than the anime in terms of politics and some world building. We are messing around with the timeline as well when it comes to canon events such as the regional disasters. As far as this story is concerned, the Distortion Event was the first to take place.
> 
> Archer - Dragged is the wrong word. That implies we didn't happily jump off the cliff known as sanity to work on the mentioned projects. That in mind, we do have plans here, but when you see them or we write them are true unknowns...
> 
> Commander - Indeed. although, at the rate we finished this chapter you’ll possibly get two chapters a month. Archer here does not have an account with AO3 so you can find his work on Fanficiton.net as Archer1eye. We hope you enjoyed this first one, there is much more in store!


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